1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to robot grippers and in particular to robot grippers in which the fingers move in opposite directions along parallel axes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of robotics there are many applications in which it would be preferable for the fingers of the robot gripper to move along parallel axes, rather than pivoting around a point. For example, when a robot is grasping cylindrical objects fingers moving along parallel axes will grip better than pivoting fingers.
Devices have previously been designed to move clamps along parallel axes. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,083 (Smith) a pinion gear rotates to drive two racks in opposite directions along parallel axes. The racks are in turn attached to the clamping tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,910 (Bradley) discloses a similar system in which a single pinion drives two racks attached to the jaws of the device. Both the Smith and the Bradley devices have rotating drive shafts to drive the pinions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,057 (Gallapoo) links are attached to rack and pinion assemblies. As the links are raised, the pinions drive the racks to close the jaws of the device.